The Origin and Deeds of the Goths, Intro

JORDANES

THE ORIGIN AND DEEDS OF THE GOTHS

551 AD

translated by Charles C. Mierow

Princeton University Press, 1915

Geographical Introduction

Our ancestors, as Orosius relates, were of the opinion that the circle of the
whole world was surrounded by the girdle of Ocean on three sides. Its three parts
they called Asia, Europe and Africa. Concerning this threefold division of the
earth’s extent there are almost innumerable writers, who not only explain the
situations of cities and places, but also measure out the number of miles and
paces to give more clearness. Moreover they locate the islands interspersed amid
the waves, both the greater and also the lesser islands, called Cyclades or Sporades,
as situated in the vast flood of the Great Sea.

But the impassable farther bounds of Ocean not only has no one attempted to
describe, but no man has been allowed to reach; for by reason of obstructing seaweed
and the failing of the winds it is plainly inaccessible and is unknown to any
save to Him who made it.

But the nearer border of this sea, which we call the circle of the world, surrounds
its coasts like a wreath. This has become clearly known to men of inquiring mind,
even to such as desired to write about it. For not only is the coast itself inhabited,
but certain islands off in the sea are habitable. Thus there are to the East in
the Indian Ocean, Hippodes, Iamnesia, Solis Perusta (which though not habitable,
is yet of great length and breadth), besides Taprobane, a fair island wherein
there are towns or estates and ten strongly fortified cities. But there is yet
another, the lovely Silefantina, and Theros also.

These, though not clearly described by any writer, are nevertheless well filled
with inhabitants. This same Ocean has in its western region certain islands known
to almost everyone by reason of the great number of those that journey to and
fro. And there are two not far from the neighborhood of the Strait of Gades, one
the Blessed Isle and another called the Fortunate. Although some reckon as islands
of Ocean the twin promontories of Galicia and Lusitania, where are still to be
seen the Temple of Hercules on one and Scipio’s Monument on the other, yet since
they are joined to the extremity of the Galician country, they belong rather to
the great land of Europe than to the islands of Ocean.

However, it has other islands deeper within its own tides, which are called
the Baleares; and yet another, Mevania, besides the Orcades, thirty-three in number,
though not all inhabited.

And at the farthest bound of its western expanse it has another island named
Thule, of which the Mantuan bard makes mention:

“And Farthest Thule shall serve thee.”

The same mighty sea has also in its arctic region, that is in the north, a
great island named Scandza, from which my tale (by God’s grace) shall take its
beginning. For the race whose origin you ask to know burst forth like a swarm
of bees from the midst of this island and came into the land of Europe. But how
or in what wise we shall explain hereafter, if it be the Lord’s will.

But now let me speak briefly as I can concerning the island of Britain, which
is situated in the bosom of Ocean between Spain, Gaul and Germany. Although Livy
tells us that no one in former days sailed around it, because of its great size,
yet many writers have held various opinions of it. It was long unapproached by
Roman arms, until Julius Caesar disclosed it by batttles fought for mere glory.
In the busy age which followed it became accessible to many through trade and
by other means. Thus it revealed more clearly its position, which I shall here
explain as I have found it in Greek and Latin authors.

Most of them say it is like a triangle pointing between the north and west.
Its widest angle faces the mouths of the Rhine. Then the island shrinks in breadth
and recedes until it ends in two other angles. Its long doubled side faces Gaul
and Germany. Its greatest breadth is said to be over two thousand three hundred
and ten stadia, and its length not more than seven thousand one hundred and thirty-two
stadia.

In some parts it is moorland, in others there are wooded plains, and sometimes
it rises into mountain peaks. The island is surrounded by a sluggish sea, which
neither gives readily to the stroke of the oar nor runs high under the blasts
of the wind. I suppose this is because other lands are so far removed from it
as to cause no disturbance of the sea, which indeed is of greater width here than
anywhere else. Moreover Strabo, a famous writer of the Greeks, relates that the
island exhales such mists from its soil, soaked by the frequent inroads of Ocean,
that the sun is covered throughout the whole of their disagreeable sort of day
that passes as fair, and so is hidden from sight.

Cornelius also, the author of the Annals, says that in the farthest part of
Britain the night gets brighter and is very short. He also says that the island
abounds in metals, is well supplied with grass and is more productive in all those
things which feed beasts rather than men. Moreover many large rivers flow through
it, and the tides are borne back into them, rolling along precious stones and
pearls. The Silures have swarthy features and are usually born with curly black
hair, but the inhabitants of Caledonia have reddish hair and large loose-jointed
bodies. They are like the Gauls or the Spaniards, according as they are opposite
either nation.

Hence some have supposed that from these lands the island received its inhabitants,
alluring them by its nearness. All the people and their kings are alike wild.
Yet Dio, a most celebrated writer of annals, assures us of the fact that they
have all been combined under the name of Caledonians and Maeatae. They live in
wattled huts, a shelter used in common with their flocks, and often the woods
are their home. They paint their bodies with iron-red, whether by way of adornment
or perhaps for some other reason.

They often wage war with one another, either because they desire power or to
increase their possessions. They fight not only on horseback or on foot, but even
with scythed two-horse chariots, which they commonly call essedae. Let it suffice
to have said thus much on the shape of the island of Britain.

Let us now return to the site of the island of Scandza, which we left above.
Claudius Ptolemaeus, an excellent describer of the world, has made mention of
it in the second book of his work, saying: “There is a great island situated in
the surge of the northern Ocean, Scandza by name, in the shape of a juniper leaf
with bulging sides that taper down to a point at a long end.” Pomponius Mela also
makes mention of it as situated in the Codan Gulf of the sea, with Ocean lapping
its shores.

This island lies in front of the river Vistula, which rises in the Sarmatian
mountains and flows through its triple mouth into the northern Ocean in sight
of Scandza, separating Germany and Scythia. The island has in its eastern part
a vast lake in the bosom of the earth, whence the Vagus river springs from the
bowels of the earth and flows surging into the Ocean. And on the west it is surrounded
by an immense sea. On the north it is bounded by the same vast unnavigable Ocean,
from which by means of a sort of projecting arm of land a bay is cut off and forms
the German Sea.

Here also there are said to be many small islands scattered round about. If
wolves cross over to these islands when the sea is frozen by reason of the great
cold, they are said to lose their sight. Thus the land is not only inhospitable
to men but cruel even to wild beasts.

Now in the island of Scandza, whereof I speak, there dwell many and divers
nations, though Ptolemaeus mentions the names of but seven of them. There the
honey-making swarms of bees are nowhere to be found on account of the exceeding
great cold. In the northern part of the island the race of the Adogit live, who
are said to have continual light in midsummer for forty days and nights, and who
likewise have no clear light in the winter season for the same number of days
and nights.

By reason of this alternation of sorrow and joy they are like no other race
in their sufferings and blessings. And why? Because during the longer days they
see the sun returning to the east along the rim of the horizon, but on the shorter
days it is not thus seen. The sun shows itself differently because it is passing
through the southern signs, and whereas to us the sun seem to rise from below,
it seems to go around them along the edge of the earth. There also are other peoples.

There are the Screrefennae, who do not seek grain for food but live on the
flesh of wild beasts and birds’ eggs; for there are such multitudes of young game
in the swamps as to provide for the natural increase of their kind and to afford
satisfaction to the needs of the people. But still another race dwells there,
the Suehans, who, like the Thuringians, have splendid horses. Here also are those
who send through innumerable other tribes the sappherine skins to trade for Roman
use. They are a people famed for the dark beauty of their furs and, though living
in poverty, are most richly clothed.

Then comes a throng of various nations, Theustes, Vagoth, Bergio, Hallin, Liothida.
All their habitations are in one level and fertile region. Wherefore they are
disturbed there by the attacks of other tribes. Behind these are the Ahelmil,
Finnaithae, Fervir and Gauthigoth, a race of men bold and quick to fight. Then
come the Mixi, Evagre, and Otingis. All these live like wild animals in rocks
hewn out like castles.

And there are beyond these the Ostrogoths, Raumarici, Aeragnaricii, and the
most gentle Finns, milder than all the inhabitants of Scandza. Like them are the
Vinovilith also. The Suetidi are of this stock and excel the rest in stature.
However, the Dani, who trace their origin to the same stock, drove from their
homes the Heruli, who lay claim to preinence among all the nations of Scandza
for their tallness.

Furthermore there are in the same neighborhood the Grannii, Augandzi, Eunixi,
Taetel, Rugi, Arochi and Ranii, over whom Roduulf was king not many years ago.
But he despised his own kingdom and fled to the embrace of Theodoric, king of
the Goths, finding there what he desired. All these nations surpassed the Germans
in size and spirit, and fought with the cruelty of wild beasts.